BILL ANALYSIS
SB 1006
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Date of Hearing: June 28, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Wesley Chesbro, Chair
SB 1006 (Pavley) - As Amended: June 21, 2010
SENATE VOTE : 22-14
SUBJECT : Climate change: Strategic Growth Council (Council)
SUMMARY : Requires the Council to address climate change impacts
in its coordinating role and to provide information to local and
regional government agencies on climate adaptation strategies.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Pursuant to Proposition 84 (2006), among other things,
provides $90 million for urban greening projects that "reduce
energy consumption, conserve water, improve air and water
quality, and provide other community benefits" and $90 million
for planning grants and incentives to encourage development of
land use plans designed to accomplish some of the objectives
above.
2)Creates the Council consisting of the Director of State
Planning and Research, the Secretary of the Resources Agency,
the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Secretary of
Business, Transportation and Housing, the Secretary of
California Health and Human Services, and one public member.
3)Requires the Council to:
a) Coordinate the activities of the member agencies in
order to more effectively and efficiently achieve
environmental, infrastructure, housing, and public health
goals, including assisting state and local entities in the
planning of sustainable communities and meeting the state's
climate change goals.
b) Identify and review activities and funding programs of
member state agencies to meet the council's goals;
c) Recommend policies and investment strategies and
priorities to encourage the development of sustainable
communities;
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d) Provide, fund, and distribute date and information to
local governments and regional agencies that will assist in
the development and planning of sustainable communities;
and
e) Manage and award grants and loans from Proposition 84 to
support the planning and development of sustainable
communities.
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THIS BILL :
1)Requires the Council to address climate change impacts in its
coordinating role of member agencies.
2)Directs the Council to provide information to local
governments and regional agencies regarding climate change
adaptation strategies, projects, or activities that protect,
conserve, restore, or enhance natural ecosystem functions; use
effective approaches to protect communities from climate
change impacts, including practices that utilize, enhance, or
mimic natural processes and functions, and avoid or minimize
environmental degradation and emission of greenhouse gases.
3)Expands the list of agencies under the urban greening program
that can receive financial assistance to include a special
district or joint powers authority if at least one of the
parties to the joint powers authority qualifies as an eligible
applicant.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, about $200,000 to the Council to develop guidelines
and information; cost pressures on existing Prop 84 bond funds.
COMMENTS :
1)According to the author :
California is at the forefront of climate change solutions
that achieve significant, near-term reductions in the carbon
pollution that is causing global warming. Notwithstanding
these essential mitigation measures, California is already
experiencing dramatic, unavoidable climate change impacts due
to carbon pollution already committed to the atmosphere and
oceans. These climate change impacts include documented
sea-level rise, increased erosion, increased weather severity,
altered water cycles, reduced snowpack and earlier snow melt,
increased wildfire occurrence and severity, altered rainfall
patterns, disrupted food supply, and migration of plant and
animal species. These impacts could expose the state and
local governments to trillions of dollars in costs. Thus, in
addition to mitigation, state and local governments must
strategically plan to adapt to these and other unavoidable
climate change impacts.
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2)If we can't mitigate, adapt : Last year, the Natural Resources
Agency published its Climate Adaptation Strategy (CAS) in
response to an Executive Order (S-13-08) on adapting to
climate change. The CAS summarizes anticipated climate change
impacts and recommends near and long-term strategies to
increase the resilience and adaptive capacity of the state to
respond to these impacts. The Climate Action Team, through
various working groups, is operationalizing many of these
recommendations into actionable strategies or measures. For
example, members of the ocean and coastal resources working
group will be completing a statewide vulnerability assessment
every five years that will include the most recent knowledge
about climate impacts to coastal resources, inventory natural
and man-made assets, and assess what is at risk.
Additionally, a National Academies of Science is expected to
publish a Sea Level Rise Assessment Report estimating sea
level rise for 2030, 2050, and 2100.
3)The concept of "sustainable communities" is beginning to
sprawl : The Council's existing charge is to coordinate the
activities and funding programs of state agencies to improve
air quality, protect natural resources, increase affordable
housing, and improve transportation while meeting the state's
climate change goals. Requiring the Council to additionally
address climate change impacts is a natural and logical
addition to this list (and consistent with our collective, if
vague, notion of a "sustainable community").
How best to re-package the adaptation strategies and findings
expected from the CAT in a meaningful way for local or
regional government consumption will likely be the Council's
greatest challenge. Existing sea level rise estimates are not
only fraught with a high degree of uncertainty but they likely
do not include reliable estimates of local or regional
sea-level rise. However, over time and with better scientific
data, the Council may be the most suitable entity to interface
with local governments, especially given its authority to
provide financial assistance to these entities.
4)Status of the Urban Greening Project and Planning Grants: The
Council recently adopted guidelines for the first year of
urban greening project and planning grants and is currently
accepting applications for funds. This bill would presumably
only be intended to effect future grant cycles. Two more
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grant cycles are forthcoming.
5)Dual-referral : This bill was dual-referred to the Local
Government Committee first, then this committee. It is
scheduled to be heard by both committees on June 28, 2010,
presuming it is approved by the Local Government Committee.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
East Bay Municipal Utility District
Opposition
American Council of Engineering Companies, California
California Business Properties Association
California Central Valley Flood Control Association
California Chamber of Commerce
California Manufacturers and Technology Association
Western States Petroleum Association
Analysis Prepared by : Dan Chia / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092